Leaving
by mercurymoon7490195
Summary: Marik is torn between his family and a thief's promise for adventure...Thiefshipping, post canon. Follows Beginning in an End.


_The smell was everywhere. The scalding, burning flesh-metal mixture that pervaded the town, washing over everything. Every scream was in his ears, every mother's wail and child's cry as they fell to the Pharaoh's men. He could see them even as he closed his eyes, even as he told himself this had to be a bad dream. But the screaming went on, as the shadow arrived to claim his prize, his vessel. Every shout of the men as their families went down, the harsh gasps of the elders as they too were snuffed out, every scream was in endless repeat, even as the shadows overtook him and dragged him downwards, into the sand of the unforgiving desert. His mouth filled with it, he couldn't breathe, and even then the screams of Kul Elna called for him to join them— _

Bakura sat up, sweat-drenched and swearing. Marik's hand was on his shoulder, his eyes worried.

"Are y—"

"Fuck you," he snarled, pushing him away. He shoved his hair out of his face, hiding his shaking hands. "Like you know anything."

An arched eyebrow. "I know that you're full of shit," Marik muttered, resting back on his elbows. "As always."

He swatted the tousled blond head and rolled out of bed, slamming both the bedroom and back doors. Marik sighed and followed him out to where he rested his head against the wall, his knuckles white.

"It's because you're here, isn't it?" he asked, leaning beside him and staring at the starlit sky. "Too close to where it happened to sleep soundly."

Shrug. "What, and you don't have nightmares, being so close to the tomb?"

"Naturally." Marik said, his voice a little quieter. "Nearly every other night. I get through them, however I can." He rested his hand on top of Bakura's, rubbing it with his thumb. "Thinking of you makes them bearable."

Bakura shoved him away, a hollow smirk on his face. "Whimp."

"Jerk." Marik pushed him back, leaning against his shoulder. "I don't know why I even bother."

Bakura eyed him curiously. "Because you're laboring under the delusion that you can get through to me," he twirled a finger around a strand of blond hair before yanking him closer. "And you keep trying, despite your years of evidence to the contrary."

"Mm," Marik smiled. "It's been working."

"Like hell it has." He wandered away, out into the tiny garden Odion had started. His eyes looked over the flowers, his gaze flat. "You can't fix me, you know."

"Fix you?" Marik asked. "Who the fuck says you need fixing?"

"Isn't that why you're keeping me here?"

"No one's keeping you here!" Marik insisted. "You said you came back because of unfinished business with me. You followed me home, you've stayed by my side…all of that was your doing, not mine."

Bakura scowled. "If you want me to leave—"

"No!" Marik grabbed his arm, bringing them tumbling down among the flowers. He paused, listening to make sure he hadn't awoken his family. "Of course I don't want that. But I don't want to trap you here, either." His arms snaked around Bakura's shoulders. "I missed you every day we were apart. And if you leave, I'll miss you every day until the next time I see you, if that even comes around again. But it's your choice."

Bakura's eyes narrowed. "You can stay here and have your comfortable little life with your siblings. You could get a job, go to school…maybe even meet someone, and have a couple of kids. Carry on the Ishtar bloodline—"

"That will never happen!" Marik snapped, glaring. "You know that."

"I'm just making sure you know what you're going to miss if you take the other option." Bakura said, taking his face in his hands. "Come with me."

Lavender eyes darted across his face. "Where?"

"Anywhere." Bakura pulled away. "As long as it's not here."

The sky was beginning to grey around them as they sat in the middle of the tiny garden in silence, thinking. "I wouldn't get to see them for awhile, would I?" Marik said slowly, drawing a pattern in the dust with his finger. "It'd just be you and me, traveling wherever we please? Forever?"

"Or until we get sick of it," Bakura added. "We can do whatever we damn well want."

Marik smiled ruefully. "Not really….they'll want me to stay, you know. Go straight, try to live out a normal existence."

Bakura snorted. "You can't do it."

"What?"

"Lead a normal existence. It'd kill you."

Marik said nothing. The hens were stirring somewhere near the stables; Odion would be out to feed them and the other animals soon. Marik's hand found Bakura's, tracing tiny circles in his palm. "It wouldn't be easy," he murmured. "We'd have to find food, shelter…money…"

"Ryo has a bank account," Bakura replied. "His father puts money in remotely every month."

"That won't last forever. What happens when he finds out his son has dropped out of school to wander his way around the world?"

"Fuck him." He reeled Marik in once more, keeping a watchful eye on the house. "We'll make our way, however we can…wherever we can." He kissed him sharply, watching as Marik pulled away, hesitating. Sighing, he pulled away, looking up at the sky. "Or you can stay here."

"Or I can stay here," Marik echoed. "With Ishizu, and Odion…" His voice was softer still, contemplating. "I can stay here and live a normal life, letting them tell me what to do, who to be. What jobs to do, and how to do them…I can stay here, with a little safety and comfort…but without you."

Bakura nodded. "And I wouldn't come back for you, if you stayed," he said quietly.

"No?"

A shake of his head. "You wouldn't be Marik anymore, by that point. Not the Marik I know. It wouldn't be worth it."

Marik nodded. The sun was ready to rise, staining the sky pink and orange in announcement. He stared at the house for a long while, Bakura beside him. The sky turned a hazy sort of blue as the golden disc began to peek over the desert.

"Give me one more day with them," he said finally, standing. "We'll leave tomorrow, if you want."

Bakura raised an eyebrow. "You're sure?"

A bronze hand pulled him into a quick, fierce kiss. Marik's eyes danced as he pulled away, his usual grin back in place. "Get packing," he replied, wandering back towards the house. "You have a lot to do."

Bakura nodded. As his partner disappeared inside, his eyes scanned the horizon, looking out towards the far away cliffs. He heard the door open once more, Odion appearing out of the corner of his eye.

"Do you need either of the horses for the morning?" He asked. The balding man shook his head. Within minutes the saddle was on, Bakura sitting tall.

"Tell him I'll be back," he said shortly before he galloped away, hurtling towards the cliffs of Kul Elna. _One last time. _


End file.
